Telling the activists that little progress had ever been won by reasonable
people, he declared: "Progress comes from people who refuse to be reasonable, who stand up and say, this is our argument, this is our position."

He (John Swinney) has allowed his mask to slip and resorted to a language of anti-English bigotry

Anne McGuireDeputy Secretary of State for Scotland

He claimed that the SNP's "nervousness" about its flagship independence
policy had cost it lost votes and eight lost seats at the Holyrood elections.

Labour's Deputy Secretary of State for Scotland Anne McGuire hit out at Mr Swinney's victory and the language he used.

Mrs McGuire said: "He has allowed his mask to slip and resorted to a language of anti-English bigotry which should be beneath a modern Scottish politician.

"This slide into extremism has obviously been enough for his party to put him
on probation rather than sack him but he should reflect on whether the people of Scotland will respond as warmly to this relapse into 19th century
nationalism."